So say the women of the Nayakrishi
Andolan which means new agricultural movement -a farmers'
initiative in rural Bangladesh. Rather than being the thankful,
passive recipients of the development process, the women of
Nayakrishi Andolan are fending off the ravages of the Green
Revolution in their environment and their community, and shoring up
local genetic diversity instead.

Since Bangladesh embraced the Green
Revolution, rural farmers who mostly produce for subsistence than
commerce, have experienced a deterioration in their local
environment.Among the
chemically-maintained commercial hybrids, local agricultural
species have been withering away, leaving many without the
diversity of food upon which Bangladeshis have traditionally
depended. Locals have also become concerned that the intensive use
of chemical fertilisers necessary for intensive production of
commercial species, work at the long term expense of soil
fertility, and are polluting.

As if agricultural pollution and
loss of local diversity weren't enough to contend with as a
subsistence farmer, women have suffered a double whammy.
Traditionally, women were the seed-keepers of the community and had
an important role in traditional agriculture, and as any farmer
will tell you, a good crop depends upon a good seed stock.
Since the advent of the Green Revolution, however, women have
become disengaged from food production and commercial HYV seeds are
now purchased from multinationals. Locally, women have seen their
influence wane.

The Nayakrishi Andolan was formed to
address the social and ecological problems experienced by the
community since the Green Revolution came to town. As a farmers'
initiative, the Andolan seeks to find better alternatives for
agriculture, with the involvement of all. The principles of
Nayakrishi are broadly organic, with a focus on practises that are
sustainable, such as maintaining soil fertility, reducing the
chemical input, and opting for methods that optimise total yields,
such as inter-cropping and agroforestry.

Critical to the movement is the
conservation of genetic diversity, at the household and community
level. One of the first tasks, then, was to organise a local
diversity stock take. Across the region everyone was asked to
submit local varieties of vegetables, pulses, cereals, and fruit.
The resulting deluge allowed the Andolan to compile an impressive
inventory of local species, from which a seed bank was
created.

The Veez Sampad centre, or seed
wealth centre, is a smoothed mud and thatch construction, packed to
the rafters with jars of all sizes and descriptions, meticulously
labelled and full of seeds. Where shelf space has been exhausted,
jars and earthen pots are hanging from the ceiling, jostling with
every type of squash imaginable.

The Veez Sampad seedbank is a bank
in every respect; from its capital of seeds, small loans are made
to whoever wants them, which are repaid, with interest. In this way
the centre is increasing its seed stock all the time, replenishing
local agricultural diversity with every loan, and contributing to
local food security. The centre is proudly managed by local women,
who have regained a crucial role in the process of food production.
Keep the seeds in your hand sister!